question about the merkava

[melbeach]

what is the function of the short, hanging chains off the bottom of the turrent? Safety so the crew will avoid a moving turrent? ballistic protection?

just curious..
Thanks
Matt

[GiladS]

what is the function of the short, hanging chains off the bottom of the turrent? Safety so the crew will avoid a moving turrent? ballistic protection?

just curious..
Thanks
Matt

To protect the area between the body of the tank and the turret from RPG hits.

[bluffcove]

Detonates RPGs early to prevent them striking the turret ring - a weak point on tanks.

[Sand Man]

How does an RPG work? I read in one of those TIME LIFE books that upon detonation an RPG warhead shoots a jet stream that punctures the armor.

[Jippo]

How does an RPG work? I read in one of those TIME LIFE books that upon detonation an RPG warhead shoots a jet stream that punctures the armor.

Same principle:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HEAT


-jippo

[GiladS]

well after what happend in lebanon the mercava legend will not be a legend anymoe.It will be just an ordinary tank like the others

I doubt that there ever a "legend of the Merkava tank"... at most it only existed in the minds of some people just as the "legends" of the Abrams, Challenger, Leclerc and so on do.

It's a machine... and like all machines it is distructable.

In the end a tank can be the most sophisticated on the planet, yet if the tank crew's abbilities are lacking then all of the tech you put into it isn't worth much.

The motto of the IDF Armoured Corps best represents this: "The man in the tank shall prevail".

Sometimes even if the crew and the tank are 100%, the coniditions on the ground can diminish this.

[USMC Tanker]

I doubt that there ever a "legend of the Merkava tank"... at most it only existed in the minds of some people just as the "legends" of the Abrams, Challenger, Leclerc and so on do.

It's a machine... and like all machines it is distructable.

In the end a tank can be the most sophisticated on the planet, yet if the tank crew's abbilities are lacking then all of the tech you put into it isn't worth much.

The motto of the IDF Armoured Corps best represents this: "The man in the tank shall prevail".

Sometimes even if the crew and the tank are 100%, the coniditions on the ground can diminish this.


Gilad is **** on.

[cliffg]

what is the function of the short, hanging chains off the bottom of the turrent? Safety so the crew will avoid a moving turrent? ballistic protection?


Actually, they were part of a cunning plan to "Ozzy-ize" the Merkva in order to try and sell it to the Austrailians. Called the "Bruce Mk1" by IMI's marketing department, the tank ultimately lost out ot the American MI-A1 - but included such unique down-under features as replacing the smoke grenade launchers with XXXX tin coolers, an armored barbie on the engine deck, and the cargo area in the back was reworked to hold 4 fully armed Diggers or 12 sheep.

The chains were retained by IMI on later versions because they looked right smart and also generated a lot of questions on Internet forums.

[GiladS]

Actually, they were part of a cunning plan to "Ozzy-ize" the Merkva in order to try and sell it to the Austrailians. Called the "Bruce Mk1" by IMI's marketing department, the tank ultimately lost out ot the American MI-A1 - but included such unique down-under features as replacing the smoke grenade launchers with XXXX tin coolers, an armored barbie on the engine deck, and the cargo area in the back was reworked to hold 4 fully armed Diggers or 12 sheep.

The chains were retained by IMI on later versions because they looked right smart and also generated a lot of questions on Internet forums.

rofl

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